Unconscious Habits That Are Secretly Damaging Your Car
Mercedes Porsche Mechanic | Midtown Auto Repair | Services | Sacramento
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When you are a new driver you are more aware of every action you take. You are focused on the road, every maneuver, and every action you take. However, once you have been driving for a while you start to build driving habits. Bad habits. Unconscious and routine yet bad habits. Today we are going to identify three driving habits that are secretly damaging your car.
Allowing the fuel to get low before refilling:
Nobody wants to fill up their gas tank. Ever. It is expensive and takes time out of your already busy schedule. Because of this, it is common for people to get into the habit of allowing their fuel to get low before refilling. This is risky not only because this habit could leave you hanging on the side of the road but also because it can damage your car. Within the fuel tank, dirt and debris settle to the bottom of the tank. When the fuel level gets really low, that dirt and debris can be accidentally sucked into the system causing blockages into the filter. This can lead to damaged filters and a damaged fuel pump. Do not run that risk. It can be pricey. Luckily, this is an easy habit to fix. Simply refill at a quarter tank.
Not using the parking break:
Many people do not use the parking break because they are not parked on an incline. If they are on level ground people do not feel the need to use their parking break. The logic there makes sense. However, drivers who do not use the parking break cause stress on a part of the car called the parking pawl. The parking pawl is a device fitted to your car’s automatic transmission in order for it to lock up the transmission. It is essentially a type of latch that engages with another component to prevent movement in one direction or prevent movement altogether. Excessive stress on the parking pawl can cause excessive wear and tear. Again, running this risk can lead to a pricey fix. Prevent this wear and tear by simply using your parking break.
Resting your hand on the gear shifter:
This is probably one of the most common unconscious habits that manual car drivers have. Manual drivers often rest their hand on the gear shifter between uses. The problem with this is that even light pressure on the gear shifter causes internal wear on the transmission. Grinding down the transmission is one of the most expensive habits you can have as a driver. Break this habit by switching gears, immediately letting go of the shifter, and using the arm rest between shifting rather than keeping your hand on the gear shifter.
These are a few common unconscious habits that drivers have that secretly damage their car. Luckily, if you pay close attention you can catch these bad habits and break them. Doing so will save you a lot of time and money.